Howl at the Moon.

Tonight is the first full moon of 2010 and it was the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. The full moon tonight will be 2010's biggest and brightest since the moon is closer in orbit than usual at this time of year. How much bigger and brighter? Spaceweather.com reports it will be 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than normal.

Green Man: The moon is nature's light bulb. I am one of the millions of people who feel drawn by the moon. I am also one of those who believes that human actions are influenced by the moon's waxing and waning. I have heard, for example, that there are more births during full moons than not:

The theory is that the moon's gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that's otherwise found in our bodies. As a woman's body prepares for natural childbirth, the amniotic sac becomes distended so the point where it will easily burst if put under pressure. Under normal circumstances, the pressure of labor contractions bursts the sac. During a full moon, the pressure caused by the moon's effect on the water inside the sac can cause the same things to happen, but without the accompanying contractions.

Green Man: It doesn't end there though. One study published in The Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Service in the year 2000 showed an increase in deterioration of Schizophrenics during full-moon phases. Now, it is a small and isolated study. So it's not overwhelming evidence by any means but could this be in part where the idea that people go crazy during full-moons stems from? The term lunacy actually comes from the name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna. Imagine an untreated Schizophrenic living in an ancient village who seemed a bit unhinged but was otherwise semi-functional.

This person would probably go from semi-functional to psychotic in a matter of minutes like switching on a light bulb. Such a transformation would be perplexing and scary to those living with that person. So, surely they would look for something that caused such a rapid change and being nature based societies they would have obviously looked toward nature. Then comes the full-moon. And if it does affect the body via increased pressure perhaps to the brain, then it seems somewhat logical that it would only take a small shift to send a person already on the edge of sanity into psychosis. And even if a person only went into psychosis by chance during a full moon, or just once associated with the full moon; it would have been easy for the ancients to connect the two.

I live with a form of schizophrenia called schizo-affective disorder, and despite all the medications I take I still can be thrown into a manic whirlwind by the slightest changes such as season changes and time changes. So, I suppose if all the conditions were right a person could be tipped over the edge by the pressure induced pull from the moon. Thus, it would make sense that a Pagan society might blame the moon for schizophrenics going "berzerk" and behaving like a possessed animal. Thus, the werewolf myth. It's an obviously just a theory on my part and very unscientific but still, I bet there is some truth to it. By the way, I don't remember having any major episodes on any full-moon nights but I will pay closer attention now--just as an experiment. I'll keep a log and follow the lunar patterns and see if I have more symptoms during full moons or not and I'll let you know!!

Also, I somewhat resisted posting this because there is a stigma about mental illness that we're all stark raving mad. And while sometimes we do have "freak outs" it isn't constantly, and for the most part you wouldn't even know we have a mental illness by just walking by us or engaging in a conversation. Please don't compare the mentally ill to Were Wolfs -- that's not my theory. My theory is only that those who didn't understand medical science might have come up with the werewolf myth to explain why a fellow villager might behave bizarrely during a full moon. I do not think the mentally ill are people to shun or be afraid of at all. I know from first hand how damaging such myths and stigmas are. Unfortunately I live with them daily. So, if the full moon has any affect on the brain I believe it to be small but in an unmedicated brain a small change is all it takes to send one off into psychosis. Speaking of Were Wolfs, have you seen the new movie with Benicio Del Torro, "The Wolf Man?"If not, check out the preview--It's pretty cool looking:
Wolfman Trailer - Watch more Big Game Bonanza

Mindful Gardening in Prison.

Nelson Mandela may have started it all when he was in prison—"A garden is one of the few things in prison that one could control," he wrote in his autobiography. "Being a custodian of this patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom." But the idea probably rose to national fame only earlier this past decade, when the Garden Project of San Francisco started selling fresh produce to Alice Waters's acclaimed Chez Panisse restaurant.

Catherine Sneed, the woman who in 1992 founded that project, which is a post-release program for ex-prisoners, did so because she had already seen such success with the Horticulture Program at the San Francisco County Jail, where she would go out on a daily basis with prisoners to work on the farm within the boundaries of the jail. The vegetables they grew were donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Her moment of realization of a need for a post-release program came when one student of hers asked the visiting sheriff for permission to stay and work on the farm; Sneed recalled, "he had nothing on the outside."

Green Man: One of the failures of our justice system is that we don't rehabilitate prisoners very well. This can be seen in how often prisoners come out of prison a better criminal than going in. These prison gardens, which offer a chance for inmates to practice mindfulness via caring for vegetables is wonderful rehabilitation. It teaches them patience and focuses the brain to make it harder for the mind to chase dangerous thoughts down the rabbit hole. It gives them the tools to release less skillful energy and transform it into something wonderful such as vibrant, life-sustaining food.

It gives them hope that their lives can still have some meaning despite having committed crimes, and thus, unfortunately treated as no longer having a benefit to society. I think it's wonderful that the food they grow is used in soup kitchens and homeless shelters. It is a way for these prisoners to do some good instead of causing harm. It is a way for them to feel like they can pay some of their debt to society. I know that it's very difficult for victims' families to think anything positive should happen in the lives of these prisoners. However, if anything good can come from such horrible events then I would hope that they could take some comfort in such programs. Especially one that helps feed the homeless. If it weren't for these gardens that these inmates grow, who knows what crimes some homeless might commit to feed themselves. What a wonderful thing to think of inmates helping people potentially stay out of prison.

Sadly the U.S. prison system is structured in a way as to build up tensions between inmates and offer few programs to help them release that emotion in a more positive way. It is my hope that these prison gardens will become a trend and will help relieve some of the problems in our prison system. I know it can if given a chance.

---End of Transmission---

Chimpumentary.

The first film to be shot entirely by chimpanzees will premiere on the BBC on Wednesday, as part of a natural history documentary called "Chimpcam," the BBC reported. The chimps were given complete creative control over what they filmed. Researchers will use the footage to observe how chimpanzees perceive the world and each other. According to the BBC, The chimps were given two challenges: The first was to teach the chimps how to use a touchscreen to select different videos. The second challenge was to give the apes a "Chimpcam", a recording camera housed in a chimp-proof box. Here's a preview: Green Man: It's pretty shaky but is fascinating to see what they did with the camera. I tell ya, it sure beats a lot of the shit coming out of Hollywood these days!! I can't wait to see their whole documentary, or should I say, chimpumentary? Chimps are so smart, so expressive and so human-like and yet, some companies and countries still test products and medical drugs, etc. on them. Shameful and barbaric.

Sadhu Destiny?

Being primarily a Buddhist, I guess it doesn't come as a surprise that I accept the ideas of past lives, karma and rebirth. I have had some vivid dreams before that weren't like any other. They were so much more real than my regular dreams. They have been vivid beyond imagination.

They were like the 3D movies you can experience now like "Avatar" mixed in with an advanced interactive virtual reality experience. They weren't disjointed or a mishmash of images from the day. They had an obvious beginning, middle and end with a clear message but I've only had a few in my entire 34 years on this beautiful Earth. That also makes these dreams that much more rare, which would support (to me) the idea of them being flashes of past lives.

In one of the most vivid, I was a novice Buddhist monk in Tibet climbing a mountain to a sacred spring to learn from my teachers a lesson in enlightenment. That in part would describe why I had such a strong pull toward Buddhism from the minute that I scratched its surface.

Now we get to the heart of the post--Sadhus. Sadhus are mystics, ascetics, wanderers and yoga gurus found in the Hindu religion in India. I have long had a fascination with India and found the esoteric, mystical traditions and rituals entrancing. The subcontinent pulls at my mind like a magnet. I gobbled up everything that I could find on Indian mysticism and felt like I was reading about a longing for a way of life that I'd had for years. This was to be a wandering mystic who sheds most of humanities trappings and embraces a life of mystical pursuits. I have always had wanderlust and still love to travel today as much as I can. I have also had a long-held disgust with modern human lifestyles and pined for a simpler life living on the edges of society. Well, imagine then my joy upon discovering the Sandhus!!

Being a Sadhu in India is considered the fourth and final stage of seeking moksha (or liberation) through meditation and contemplation -- sometimes within a drug induced trance provided by the smoking of cannabis/marijuana. Marijuana is considered a sacred plant by many Indians but especially the Sandhu because it is seen as divine as it is associated with the great Shiva who is said to like the herb. In preparation for ingesting the sacred drug they chant the many names of Shiva, who is said to represent the totality of all and epitomize balance between extremes. It is said that to smoke cannabis is to cleanse the body, mind and spirit.

According to one description, when the elixir of life was produced from the churning of the ocean by the gods and the demons, Shiva created the cannabis plant when it sprang up from a drop of the elixir dropped on the ground. I partake in ingesting marijuana pretty regularly but mostly for health and spiritual purposes. It settles my mind and relaxes me to prepare for long meditation sessions.

Anyway, being disabled from bipolar I am dependent upon a small insurance check and the pay-checks of my wife. We have no children and I have often fretted over what I'd do if my wife were to die before me. I have often said that the only thing keeping me alive and going is her, so I'd be beyond lost without her. Should that happen, my plan up until awhile ago was to just end my life but now I realize why I've been so attracted to the Sadhu life because I was either a Sadhu in a past life and/or it is a role I might have yet to play. I shrink away from the thought of living without my wife but one needs to prepare for all kinds of potentials. Without her, without my parents and without children, there would be nothing keeping me from being a wandering Sadhu. I would dedicate the rest of my life to a full-time spiritual pursuit to purify my mind and cleanse my karma to prepare for entering the next life. As well as cleansing the karma of the community around me. It seems like a calling and while I hope to outlive my wife, I am prepared.

It will either be that or going to a Buddhist monastery of being a hermit monk in China with other hermit Buddhist monks. I'll be doing a more in-depth post on the hermit monks soon.

Mormons Tried to Hide Involvement in Campaign to Prevent Gay Marriage.

The Mormon church has long tried to give the impression that they don't want to get involved in political issues except that's not true. They wanted statehood for Utah but the federal government wouldn't allow it unless it ended polygamy. Well, wouldn't you know it then that not much longer after that the "prophet" of the church (who is also the leader) received a "revelation" from "God" that man isn't ready for polygamy. Convenient. Then they received another convenient revelation during the height of the civil rights movement to allow blacks to enter the priesthood. They didn't have a very good opinion of blacks up until that point and some, today, still are somewhat racist. Then comes Proposition 8 in California, which made gay marriage illegal in California but they tried to hide their involvement in that bigoted campaign:

The Mormon church worked to hide its involvement in the 2008 effort to ban gay marriage in California, telling the Proposition 8 campaign that it wanted "plausible deniability" in its connections with the movement, documents revealed in a California courtroom Wednesday show. One key email that got the attention of Julia Rosen at the Prop 8 Trial Tracker blog was one between officials of the Church of Latter-Day Saints and the Proposition 8 campaign, which read in part:

With respect to Prop. 8 campaign, key talking points will come from campaign, but cautious, strategic, not to take the lead so as to provide plausible deniability or respectable distance so as not to show that church is directly involved.

Green Man: Interesting that a church, which cautions against "secret combinations" as stated over and over in their Book of Mormon (in other words, secret groups dealing behind closed doors) would try to cover its tracks. As someone who was born and raised in that church and who spent 22 years of his life doing its bidding, I can tell you that their squeaky clean, polished, professional, open and innocent image is a carefully crafted lie. They are masters at manipulation, brain washing and other forms of indoctrination

One of their most effective tools in missionary work is deception and manipulation. I know this because I myself served a two-year mission for them. They present their church during missionary work as being a mainstream religion such a Methodism. However, once you get into the church deeper and deeper you begin to learn about some strange things that they never taught you about in the missionary lessons. These include their past on polygamy, (including that they'll practice it later in "heaven") race relations, secrets about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. As well as what goes on in their bizarre temple rituals, which include secret handshakes, rituals and ceremonies. As well as veiling women and wearing weird ritual clothing such as aprons like the Masons and weird hats. They don't prepare you for it much, nor give you much of a true picture of what actually goes on in the temple. The missionaries often prey either willingly or unwillingly upon the poor and those going through a crisis in their life where their rational thinking might be weak. My own grandmother joined the church as a way to cope with a childhood of abuse.

They get you to believe that if you follow them and their programs and pay their mandatory 10% tithing that you'll have eternal life with your family and posterity forever. So, in some ways it's a pyramid scheme. They are one of the richest religious organizations out there. If you don't pay your dues (mandatory tithing) then you can't go to the temple. If you can't go to the temple then you can't get married in the official ceremony. If you can't get a "celestial marriage" then you can't make it into the highest category of "heaven." Yes, they even stratify "heaven." The deeper you go the more they promise and the more they expect from you.

They get you to devote your life to them by making each member play an active role in keeping the church going. Thus, keeping you under their watchful eye and away from anything and anyone that isn't Mormon. The longer you stay the more you're connected with them via your family and friends. So, they give you strong hints that if you leave you'll go to "Hell" and no longer see your friends and family. And if you question the leaders you're questioning "God" himself. This gives the leaders a lot of power of you. This is all classic cult-like behavior.

The Eye of Horus and Liber Oz.

(Above: The Great Occult Beast, Aleister Crowley)

Humans are very visual creatures and many of us learn best visually. Thus, symbols have been used for eons to convey important messages without having to read long essays and books, which was quite useful during the time when most humans were illiterate. They can be very effective in impacting a wide range of people because regardless of their "official meaning" they are interpreted by each person somewhat differently. Therefore, they can have a deeper, broader and more personal impact than just repeating a bunch of words. It is with that understanding that I write today about two important symbols in my life: The Eye of Horus or All-Seeing Eye" and the "Liber Oz" symbol created by Occultist Aleister Crowley. I have put up both symbols in the right-hand column of the blog. So, first up, The Eye of Horus (picture left):

Traditionally, it is an Egyptian symbol of protection representing the deity of Horus who is one of the oldest and most important ancient Egyptian deities. Click on the name Horus (above) for additional information on him. However, now I'd like to focus on what this symbol means to me and why I find it important. In my mind, The eye represents the "ONE" the "Self" or "Higher Self." The Third Eye of Enlightenment. For Theists it would be "God." It represents the union of all that exists in what we know as our Universe. Thus, it represents perfection, balance and strength. Especially since the triangle is considered the strongest geometric shape. It is the oneness and interdependence of consciousness that the Buddhists speak of.

In my own life it is also the eye of knowledge peering through the darkness, which is thus symbolic of the triumphs of science. It represents the Great Mystery starring back at us, beckoning us to discover the clues that will lead to it's treasure, which is nothing short of full understanding of our Universe and how it works. As well as representing the hope that the answers to the questions and missing knowledge in our personal lives are out there. The rays emanating from the Great Eye represent the transmission of that understanding radiating into our lives. It is the bright sun of enlightenment warming up and melting away the cold hardness of our fears and doubts. It is a comforting and inspiring symbol, which I have tattooed upon my shoulder. Now we come to the last one, which is the "Liber Oz" symbol:It is a septagram/heptagram, or seven-pointed star, which was created by Occultist Aleister Crowley resting inside a unifying circle. The seven points represent many things but the one I prefer is that the the four points atop represent all the matter of Earth and life in total (Fire, Water, Earth and Air). And we know Earth is the realm of man, and thus science. The three points represent for me the spiritual, which is just as important as matter. Together the represent the union of everything. As I'm sure you've noticed, that collection of circles and semi-circles at the top of the star looks like an erect phallus leveled right at you. In this regard the "Liber Oz" also celebrates the penis and masculinity, which is important to me being a bisexual man.

The Bible will have you believe that "666" is the sign of "the devil" but in reality the "Great Beast" was most likely the Romans. However, because of the superstition of "666" being "Satan's" telephone number or something, and wanting to avoid stupid comments claiming I worship, "the devil" (I don't even believe in "him" so how could I worship, "him?") I've decided to erase the numbers from the symbol as it appears on this blog.

I don't want a bunch of jumping Jesus freaks coming around, harassing me with their silly exorcisms. Nor is "666" really that important to me either way -- I avoid either side in the monotheistic "death match" between "God" and "Satan." So, I have edited it to personalize the symbol for me and plan on having it tattooed on my upper thigh. Omitting the "666" in the design is also meant to cut-off any stupid remarks upon showing the tattoo to others who might not understand the deeper meaning of how I interpret, "666." Here is the final product:Surely you can see the big, black, bold letters, "Oz" surrounding the symbol. It represents Aleister Crowley's, "Liber Oz" manifesto. I will leave you with a good description of what Aleister Crowley's "Liber Oz" statement actually means. Read it here. As for the exact words of the, "Liber Oz" you can read them here.

Methane in Permafrost Escaping at Dangerous Levels from Global Warming.

Scientists have recorded a massive spike in the amount of a powerful greenhouse gas seeping from Arctic permafrost, in a discovery that highlights the risks of a dangerous climate tipping point. Experts say methane emissions from the Arctic have risen by almost one-third in just five years, and that sharply rising temperatures are to blame.

Such Arctic soils currently lock away billions of tonnes of methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, leading some scientists to describe melting permafrost as a ticking time bomb that could overwhelm efforts to tackle climate change. They fear the warming caused by increased methane emissions will itself release yet more methane and lock the region into a destructive cycle that forces temperatures to rise faster than predicted.

Green Man: It seems as though the permafrost is like Pandora's box, which is a mythological jar belonging to Pandora (she was the child of the Greek Gods/Goddesses). When she opened her jar it unleashed a process of total destruction -- sickness, disease, suffering and many hardships upon the world. The permafrost is indeed a Pandora's box, which while covered in layers of ice is harmless but when unlocked by rising temperatures, it triggers a mass release of toxic gases.

It's tragically ironic that we are so worried about a chemical weapon of mass destruction being set-off by a terrorists group when in all probability such a disaster seems more likely to occur from global warming. And we aren't doing much to prepare for that threat. Mother Earth is pissed off, and rightly so. She is unleashing her last defenses to fight back against the human species, which is using her beyond what she can provide. Thus, we have become parasites upon her and such a relationship is untenable and puts all species at risk.

~The Green Man has Spoken~